Bristol doesn’t like to brag. If anything, it’s the precise opposite. City native Banksy’s mural in Stokes Croft reminds visitors that this is ‘The Mild, Mild West’. As soon as Londoners began cooing over its elegant terraces, dynamic restaurants and relaxed, multicultural vibe, a countermovement was launched to Make Bristol Sh*t Again.

It would be easy to pass through the city without realising how special it is. The centre was carpet-bombed by the Luftwaffe and then again by post-war town planners. But wander around the harbour, the pastel cottages of Cliftonwood or strange pixieville of St Werburghs; behold St Paul’s Carnival or the hot-air balloons floating over the Avon Gorge; walk in any direction, in fact, and there’s no mistaking Bristol’s charm. At its grandest, its architecture is no less magnificent than that of bougie neighbour Bath, the main difference being that Bath is Farrow & Balled to oblivion, whereas here houses are rickety and lived-in and usually have reggae or skunk wafting out of their sash windows.

People solicit life advice in pubs, or tell you they had a bumper harvest of plums on the allotment

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Since moving here a couple of years ago, I’ve noticed that Bristolians seem to spend much of their time making very impressive things, such as robotic limbs or nature documentaries – but they don’t go on about it. They also tend to be extremely friendly, in a dreamy, oh-don’t-mind-me sort of way. People solicit life advice in pubs, or tell you they had a bumper harvest of plums on the allotment. What makes the place so appealing is the quiet confidence it has in its own rhythms; Bristol time, as it’s known. It can be heard in its famously slow sound, known as trip hop, pioneered by Massive Attack and Portishead in the 1990s. Even the topography lends itself to the city’s unhurried nature. Take a shortcut between Bishopston and Clifton and a combination of hills and bends will often bring you back to where you started, only 15 minutes late. There is a reason that Bristol, with its moss-damp backstreets, overgrown alleyways and hidden intrigues, is consistently voted one of the happiest places in Britain. Not that we like to boast.

THINGS TO DO IN BRISTOL

This article was first published in the April 2019 issue of Traveller magazine

Things to do in Bristol: 10 cool ideas

THE BRISTOL OLD VIC

Best for: a cultural landmark

The Bristol Old Vic not only predates the London venue, but is the longest continually running theatre in the UK. Last year, architect firm Haworth Tompkins completed a clever reinvention of the building. The foyer has been opened up as a public area with a bar and restaurant – meanwhile, the original 18th-century walls have been left thrillingly exposed. It’s a lively daytime hangout, and the first production in the new space – an adaptation of the climbing drama Touching the Void – received rave reviews.

TAKE A HISTORICAL GRAND TOUR

Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s influence is evident all over Bristol, from the Gothic train shed at Temple Meads and the SS Great Britain to the Clifton Suspension Bridge – one of the wonders that followed the Industrial Revolution. There’s more mechanical heritage harbourside. The 30-minute trail from the Arnolfini gallery along the River Avon passes steam engines, hulking cranes, a 15th-century caravel replica and a bustling dockyard. It’s worth meandering further on to the floating Grain Barge pub afterwards for a sundowner.

TUNE INTO THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

Live music is never far in Bristol. Easton’s The Plough Inn is a pretty good measure of the city’s character: punk, reggae, funk and soul happily coexist in sweaty oblivion. The Louisiana, near the docks, is the place for folk and blues, while the labyrinthine Lakota in Stokes Croft plays drum and bass and grime. At the opposite end of the spectrum, St George’s, a church-turned-concert-hall off Park Street, has unrivalled acoustics and thoughtful chamber and jazz programmes.

LOCAL ECCENTRICITIES

Bristol doesn’t go in for chic boutiques, but it does go in for intrigue. Colston Street is a particularly good hunting ground. Bookshop Bloom & Curll sells first-rate second-hand collections, and tucked-away Lowlands stocks strikingly well-curated continental homeware. The street is bisected by the Christmas Steps, an arty thoroughfare that runs down towards the centre, lined with philatelists, vintage-camera sellers, obscure-spirit suppliers and the like.

POP-IN SHOPS

Legend has it that Gloucester Road is one of the longest unbroken stretches of independent stores in the country. Among them is excellent toy seller Playfull. Despite the fact that there’s another children’s shop just a couple of doors down, owners Kerstin and Nigel Price ensure this one remains totally different, specialising in German construction toys, Swedish musical instruments and adorable, wooden miniature kitchens. Back in the centre, The Arcade is a fun spot to search for handmade jewellery, vintage clothing and, curiously, fossils. Alternatively, you can spend an afternoon nipping in and out of shops in the Clifton Village neighbourhood, admiring the Georgian buildings as you go. There you’ll find Papersmiths, a next-level magazine and stationery shop, and delightful perfumery Shy Mimosa, a short walk around the corner.